Manchester Stores Reopen After High CO Levels Traced

Manchester firefighters are lifted to the roof of Big Lots. The Eighth Utilities… (Jesse Leavenworth/The…)

February 05, 2013

MANCHESTER — Three stores in the Buckland shopping area reopened Tuesday evening after being evacuated in the afternoon because of high carbon monoxide levels.

The stores — Big Lots, Dollar Tree and iparty — are part of The Plaza at Buckland Hills, 1470 Pleasant Valley Road. No one was injured, and all the stores had reopened by the time firefighters cleared the scene at about 5:30 p.m., according to Stephen Hilinski, assistant fire chief of the Manchester Fire Department, Eighth Utilities District.

The cause of the elevated CO levels was traced to five heating and air conditioning units on the roof of Big Lots, Hilinski said. The rooftop units were either not functioning or malfunctioning, he said. One charred unit was emitting smoke while firefighters investigated, Hilinski said.

Connecticut Natural Gas was called to the scene, and a contractor was on the way to the plaza to make repairs Tuesday evening.